Prashant Kishor To Contest Bypoll To Bankipur Seat Left Vacant After Nitin Nabin's RS Move

Last Updated:July 05, 2026, 16:04 IST

The nomination process will begin on Monday and remain open until July 13.

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Sunday announced that he will contest the upcoming by-election from Bihar’s Bankipur Assembly constituency, describing the electoral contest as a test of the BJP-led state government’s public support.

Speaking at a press conference, Kishor confirmed his candidature for the seat, which fell vacant after BJP chief Nitin Nabin resigned following his election to the Rajya Sabha.

Prashant Kishor Calls Bypoll A Test For BJP Government

“The people of Bankipur are the richest and the most educated in Bihar. Let them vote for the best. If they feel they can repose their trust in me, I urge them to vote for me… Even as the lone MLA of my party, I shall outweigh the remaining 242 ones in the assembly," PTI quoted Kishor as saying.

The Jan Suraaj chief also questioned the legitimacy of the current government, saying BJP leader Samrat Choudhary assumed the chief minister’s office without seeking a fresh mandate as the NDA had fought the previous state Assembly elections under JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

“The upcoming bypoll is going to be a referendum on the working of the two-month-old government of Samrat Choudhary. If the BJP wins, I will have no hesitation in conceding that they continue to enjoy public support. If we win, it shall be for them to read the writing on the wall," he said.

The former poll strategist said the decision to field him from Bankipur was formally approved by the Jan Suraaj Party’s core committee after the Election Commission announced the bypoll schedule.

Polling On July 30, Counting On August 3

The nomination process will begin on Monday and remain open until July 13. Polling is scheduled for July 30, while votes will be counted on August 3.

The BJP has not yet named its candidate for the seat, while the RJD-Congress-Left alliance is also yet to announce its nominee. Meanwhile, former minister Tej Pratap Yadav’s Janshakti Janata Dal has fielded social activist Veena Manvi.

About the Author

Manisha Roy

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish...Read More

News india Prashant Kishor To Contest Bypoll To Bankipur Seat Left Vacant After Nitin Nabin's RS Move

Read More